[Axillary skip metastases in breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and the prognostic factors of breast cancer patients with skip metastases in the axilla.


METHODS
The clinical data of 1502 breast cancer patients who underwent complete axillary lymph node dissection were retrospectively reviewed. The patterns of skip metastases, clinical features and prognostic factors were analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 1502 patients, lymph node metastases were found in 814, of whom skip metastases in 119 (14.6%, 119/814). The Clinicopathologic factors such as age, tumor size, tumor location, clinical stage, hormonal receptor status and involved interpectoral lymph nodes were not correlated with skip metastases (P > 0.05). The disease free survival rate was lower in clinical stage I and II patients with skip metastases than that in those without (P = 0.003), while no significant difference was observed in clinical stage III patients (P = 0.457). Multivariate analysis showed that the tumor size, number of metastatic lymph nodes, extracapsular invasion of the lymph nodes and skip metastases in the axilla were significantly correlated with survival rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Skip metastasis in the axilla cannot be accurately predicted by clinicopathologic factors. Early breast cancer patients with skip metastases should be treated properly due to poor prognosis.
Sun
Jing-Yan
JY
Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China.
Ning
Lian-Sheng
LS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult